One Last Party on Hallow's Eve
by Shadowyman
Summary: With one day left to buy a costume in hopes of winning Beacon's Hallow's Eve costume contest, Jaune finds a solution in a decrepit set of ancient armor. But when its previous and related owner returns from the grave for one last night of living, what is an Arc to do but help his family out, dead or not. Just how badly can one night go with his ancestor in possession of his body?
1. The Arc of Old

**Here's a quick little RWBY tale for Halloween. Enjoy.**

* * *

"Ugh! I'm never gonna win the costume contest if all I find are these flimsy getups!" Jaune groaned as he left the third costume shop he found in downtown Vale. He was in a predicament you see, for tomorrow was Hallow's Eve, a merry time of mocking the ghoulish Grimm by dressing up as them and telling spooky tales of the evils of old, and Beacon was hosting a grand party for it student body.

Just as Weiss was chosen to help host the Ball, Coco was chosen to help plan the party and since her selection she has advertised a cornucopia of entertainment from carnival games, a haunted house that traveled through the lecture halls, plenty of food and drinks, a Candy Hoard for all to munch on, a dance floor in the main auditorium, to a costume contest at the end with a grand prize of five hundred Lien and a two day's supply of Ozpin's secret coffee formula, something no student has yet to taste or imitate. And given how he was always drinking it and the fact that he seemed to be a man of refined tastes, it must be damn good coffee. Needless to say, everyone was itching to win and was taking their costumes very seriously.

Everyone on his team and in his circle of friends already had their costumes, with varying degrees of scariness and design, except him. He wasn't so handy that he could craft his own like Nora or Blake did with they're costumes. He didn't have the finances to get someone else to make him a great one like Weiss or Pyrrha did. And, he had no old ones to reuse. His last bastion of hope lay in Vale's stores, yet even the decent ones he could afford couldn't hold a candle to some of the costumes he'd already spied back on campus.

Truly, Jaune Arc was in a conundrum.

It was getting late and with only a couple hours away until the last Bullhead departed for Beacon, Jaune had minimal time to search. He ran to and fro, eyes darting every which way but to no avail. If the shop wasn't closed, then it was one he'd already perused before.

He finally stopped to catch his breath on the corner of a long abandoned street in the night. Not a soul was around outside to listen to his panting and wheezing as he slumped backwards onto a nearby brick wall.

"It's useless," Jaune sighed. "There's nothing left out here. I mean really, all that last shop had left were frog costumes and, whatever a tanuki is supposed to be. I mean, they look like raccoon-dog things, shouldn't they be called that?"

"Shouldn't you be back in school?"

Shrieking like the fighter he truly was, Jaune jumped away from the sudden intruding voice only to land in the middle of the street on his ass. Looking up, he saw the visage of an old Faunus man, a fox one given his graying, reddish secondary pair of ears atop his snow white hair. A pair of tiny, gold rimmed glasses adorned the top of his nose which he readjusted so that his beady black eyes could gaze back at Jaune.

"Oh uh, sorry about that young man," the Faunus apologized as he wobbled his way out from the doorway leading into the building Jaune was just slumped against. A faint glow emanated from behind the elderly man, the faintest rays of which illuminated the plaque atop the doorframe that bequeathed the store the name "Relics of History." "You startled me as I was closing shop, thought you were a vandal or some sort."

"No, the fault's all mine," Jaune replied as he stood up to walk closer. "I was, venting, when I shouldn't have been. Sorry to bother you, sir."

"Now, did I overhear that you needed a costume, dear boy?" The Faunus asked as his eyes began to sparkle. One last customer was always welcome, no matter how bad first impressions were.

"Yeah, that's right." Jaune's eyes lit up just as brightly and before long he was invited in towards the outfits section of the establishment. As he made his way through the small aisles of antique weapons, books, baubles, and jewelry, the heavy smell of aged leather, various Dusts, and musk filled his nostrils. Apparently the name was apt for the store, it truly seemed, and smelled, like the annals of history.

"No, no, maybe-no, uh-uh, nah, really?-no, ugh," Jaune sighed as he rummaged through the line of worn wearables the Faunus had on display. While the selection was certainly varied, and reeked of dust and old people, they were nonetheless too ragged, small, or just plain uninteresting to pique his attention, and were certainly too boring to win a modern costume contest. "Is, is this all you have?"

"Well, what were you looking for exactly? Any specific criteria to fill?"

"I need a costume to win Beacon's Hallow's Eve costume contest tomorrow night and everything I've seen so far can't compete with what I've seen back on campus. I need something that's, I don't know, unique and bold maybe. I need something that screams 'look at me and marvel at me' because that's what'll win me that sweet, sweet coffee."

"Wait, you're trying to win coffee?"

"Well and there's five hundred Lien too, but I'm mainly in it for Ozpin's coffee."

"Wait!" Jaune nearly toppled over into the newly found enthusiasm in the Faunus' voice. "Old Ozzy's put his secret blend up for grabs?" The old man wasted no time in hobbling away from the cash register to meet Jaune face to face.

"How do you know Ozpin? And what's his coffee go to do with you?" Jaune asked.

The old man chuckled and rubbed his calloused hands excitedly. "Oh, me and Ozpin go way back. We were classmates once, back in our time as hunters in training. Well, we were merely acquaintances in truth, but I was one of the few who tasted his special blend. 'Twas the night before summer finals, year- "

"How was it? Was it as magical as all the rumors say it is?" Jaune interrupted with curious glee.

"Oh," the Faunus closed his eyes and clasped his hands together in mock prayer. "It was as if the heavens opened and Oum himself fed me the sweetest ambrosia."

"I knew it!" Jaune exclaimed before immediately deflating. "But I'll never get to taste it."

"Nonsense boy," the Faunus rebutted. He hobbled past the defeated knight towards a hallway leading to the back of the building. He turned and beckoned Jaune to follow with a crooked finger, his eyes somehow sparkling even brighter than before. "Come, I have a plan."

Normally an old man luring a young man to a backroom with promises of rewards of delicious delights would warrant at least worried suspicion, but that talk of coffee sparked renewed Jaune's drive for absolute victory and he followed suit without a second thought. A few moments of traversing seemingly ancient corridors packed with more antiques and dust brought Jaune and the old Faunus to a small storage space beneath the store floors. There gilded weapons and master crafted relics filled every nook and cranny, each as elaborate and bejeweled as the next. Jaune would've been amazed at the bounty before him, if not for the tall armor cases the old Faunus was hobbling to, wading through said bounty.

"Come, I think these will suffice." As Jaune approached his eyes widened in marvelous delight as there stood in front of him three sets of gorgeous ancient armor. The right most one was the most plain in his eyes, a typical steel plated set, though ornately inscribed with gold leaf, with a red feather sticking out from atop the helmet's crown. The left most one seemingly fit him perfectly with its slim, white steel body, clutching a slim, gem encrusted rapier in its right hand. He would've chosen that one in an instant if not for the Faunus motioning his attention towards the middle one.

"This," he rasped as he unlocked the middle case with a key he slipped from his jacket pocket. "This is what will win us that brew."

"Wha-what is it?" Jaune asked as his eyes traveled across the armor's ancient, black steel carapace. A mock skeletal ribcage was carved into the breastplate, its steel a lighter shade than the blacker material around it, with dulled amber eyes carved across each steel rib. Dinks and small tears dotted the armor, marring its intricate symbols and silver engravings, proudly showing off its history as a battle scarred relic. Its shoulders were lined with twin crowns of white spikes, each traveling down the back of each arm, ending at claw shaped hands with once sharp fingers. A long, ragged, deep black fur cloak was draped across the armor's back that was as thick as any Ursa fur Jaune had ever seen. And sitting atop it all was a most frightening helm. Its steel was as black as a moonless night, adorned with four antlers that jutted up from the crown into the air, spanning as wide as the helm and nearly just as tall. Small spikes decorated the rest of the helm from the neck to the back of the head but never touched the face of it where a cross was carved out to give its wearer sight and a mouthpiece to speak out of. Interestingly, even at a close distant, Jaune couldn't see through the darkness inside the helmet, though he shrugged it off as an effect of the dim light in the room. By its side sat a veritably titanic double bladed great axe made of the same black steel. The likeness of a Goliath's face was etched into the center of the blade complete with twin amber eyes, ruby red mask engravings, and stylized tusks that seemingly stretched to create the axe's twin edges. "It's uh-menacing to say the least."

"It had to be," the Faunus said as he turned to face Jaune. "It was worn by a member of the Grimm Hunt after all."

"Wait, you mean The Grimm Hunt? The forefathers of today's hunters and huntresses?" Jaune asked with a raised brow. Impossible, simply impossible. "The same one from the fairytales we were told as a child?"

"You're skepticism is warranted," the Faunus conceded. "Even I don't know if the provenance is correct or not. I bought it from an estate sale in Mistral but hadn't had the time to get it properly inspected. Nevertheless, it'll make for a winning costume at the very least."

"Where did you even find this, let alone everything else here?"

"I'm a, collector, of sorts. I buy, find, and trade all sorts of old novelties from across the world. Some are simply more unique than the rest."

"I don't know if I can even wear it though," Jaune said as he tried to pick up the helmet, only to find it weighed probably more than half his body did. "Yep, definitely too heavy!"

"Oh pish posh," the Faunus nagged, waving off Jaune's complaints. "If it's too heavy to wear, just wear it when they're judging the costumes. I'm sure a strapping young kid like yourself has enough Aura to lug the armor around for at least an hour or so. After you win, just take it off and bring it back the next day-"

"So you're lending it to me?" Jaune asked before sighing in relief. "That's a relief, because I was just about to say I couldn't afford this thing either."

"Well I'm sure as hell not going to let you take it away forever for free neither," the old man grumbled in reply. "It's on loan for one night only and only if you agree to share some of that coffee. After that, it goes right back on the rack. And don't destroy the thing either with you young kids' tomfoolery. If you do, you better find a way to afford it."

"Well…" Jaune muttered as he juggled his options. The deal was far better than he could have ever imagined. Then again, it was cumbersome and heavy, but it sure looked scary and well made for a costume. He unconsciously rubbed his right shoulder, already imagining the morning sores he'll have the day after, but they'll probably pale in comparison to the typical combat training bruises he got on a near daily basis anyways. He looked over at the forgotten pair of armors. Sure they might be lighter and less stressful on the muscles, but did they have what it took to win against the student body? He looked back at the Grimm Hunt armor and its imposing visage. Probably not.

There was just one last thing to consider. "How will we get it up to my room in Beacon?"

"I'll just send someone over tomorrow afternoon. No charge."

"Deal, mister-?"

"Daunt, Daunt O' Gimmer. A pleasure."

And with that, hands were shaken and a deal was set in motion. Jaune practically skipped his way back home, which quickly transformed into a sprint as he realized with dread that the last Bullhead was minutes away from departing. The old Faunus on the other hand, leisurely strolled back home after closing shop with a grin on his face. Though, his happy gait was tempered by a nagging thorn in his mind, a thorn that he had failed to mention to the young man.

Hallow's Eve was both a time of grand celebration and grave superstition, especially in times long past. It is said that Hallow's Eve was the one time of the year that the walls between worlds, physical, spiritual, and otherwise, were at their thinnest. And given the supposed provenance of that particular armor, Daunt didn't want to divulge too much lest he scared the poor boy away.

He wanted that coffee, no matter what the cost, even if that meant subjecting Jaune to an ancient curse from beyond the grave.

* * *

"Sign here."

"Finally! I've been waiting all day." Jaune's penmanship was put to the ultimate test as he signed the delivery notice with haste. After a quick landing of the wooden crate in the middle of Team JNPR's room, the deliveryman was off, leaving Jaune to himself to wrench it open.

"Alright, now to open it up and prepare for-"

"Tonight is gonna be awesome!" Jaune nearly jumped into the ceiling as the shrill voice of Nora permeated the air with the suddenness and intensity of an air raid siren. The door swung open as the rest of Team JNPR marched forth, each clad in their costumes and ready for the festivities ahead. There was Nora, first to enter, dressed for ecological success in her specially prepared sloth outfit, supposedly made with actual sloth fur, from sloths that died from natural causes of course. It even sported large claws and long arms that were way too long for her own to fit, so how she was able to use her upper body properly tonight Jaune had no idea. Her face was also painted brown to match the fur and a hoody that covered her orange hair completed the outfit. Then there was Ren, dressed simply in an all-black ninja garb complete with twin ninjato swords strapped in an X-shape across his back. Given his silent demeanor, it fit him well, that and the fact that Nora suggested it beforehand.

Then there was Pyrrha, lovely and immaculate Pyrrha, dressed in a long, spotless maroon toga that hugged her warrior body like a second skin. It showed just enough leg to catch any onlooker's attention while the various faux golden necklaces and rings across her dress and hands advertised wealthy and oligarchy. Her hair was still normal, and in many respects Pyrrha looked just as same as ever, but given her moniker as a "Goddess," dressing up as a fully colored, ancient Mistral statue of one seemed apt for Hallow's Eve.

It took Jaune a few moments to tear his gaze away from his partner, earning him a light blush from her and a coy turn of the head in embarrassment. "Oh, uh, hey guys. Looking good."

"Why aren't you in costume yet?" Nora demanded as she frowned disappointedly at their team leader. "We can't go to the party if our fearless leader is all normal. Don't tell me you still couldn't find one."

"We could have helped you if you needed it, Jaune," Pyrrha reminded. "I-We were all worried these past few days that you could not acquire a costume."

"Your screaming and running around didn't help either," Ren pointed out. "We could've chipped in and bought you one, or made you one even."

"Guys, guys, its fine," Jaune interrupted with his hands up. "I knew everyone's been super busy with their own costumes this month and I didn't want to take up your time and Lien to bother with mine."

"Aww, that is sweet of you Jaune," Pyrrha cooed.

"Not when I just received my winning costume!" Jaune boasted as he patted the crate.

"Huh, I was wondering what that was doing in the middle of the room," said Ren as Nora beamed with joy at their leader's words.

"Oh, Jaune-Jaune! Now you've got me super stoked! What is it? What is it? I bet it's something big and fierce, like a Mega-Sloth!"

"Nora, we've been over this, there never existed a Mega-Sloth," Ren sighed.

"Lies! Lies perpetrated by the non-believers!" Nora argued with Ren. Leaving the two to their debate, Pyrrha walked forward with an equally excited smile on her face.

"So, what has our fearless leader got for his costume exactly?" She asked.

"Well, I still have to get it prepared and stuff," Jaune stuttered as he walked over to his bed to pick up Crocea Mors in preparation to pry the crate open. "I just got it from the store and it might take me a while to get it all ready for the contest."

"How long will it take you?"

"D-uh, uh, maybe an hour or so."

"An hour?" Nora screeched as she ran over to lift Jaune up by his shirt's collar, madness in her eyes. "I can't wait another five minutes! It's almost five and I've gotta be the first one at the Candy Hoard! Those Syrup Taffy Strings are mine!"

Ren put his hand on his partner's shoulder in an effort to calm her down. "Nora, I'm sure they'll be plenty by the time-"

"No Renny! All of them are mine! All of them!"

"Alright already!" shouted Jaune to grab his team's attention. "First, please put me down."

"Sorry, Jaune."

"Okay. And second, I was just about to say that you guys go on ahead without me. I don't know exactly how long this'll take me and I don't want to delay you from the party any longer than necessary."

"B-But we gotta enter as a team!" Nora countered only for Jaune to shake his head.

"I know, I know and I'm sorry but I want that secret coffee blend! And if that means coming late, I'll gladly take on that burden."

"But-"

"Nora." Ren stepped forward and motioned for her to start leaving. "If Jaune's determined to do this, then we'll leave him to it. Leader's orders after all."

"Are you sure about this Jaune?" Pyrrha asked, parroting Nora's concern. "I will wait for you if you want me to. No need to arrive without at least your partner."

"I'm positive, Pyrrha, but thanks for your guys' concern. I can handle getting a simple costume on by myself. Go and have fun without me for a bit and soon enough you'll watch the grand prize winner stroll in to claim that blend," Jaune promised with a big smile. The rest reluctantly nodded and left without another word, leaving him alone again.

Step one of Hallow's Eve victory was simple enough. The crate was dismantled in no time, leaving the large armor set standing straight on its rack ready for use. The next step was to wait until judgement by Coco towards midnight, meaning a several hour long wait. But, until then, he still had to test the waters of the armor, meaning he still needed to see if he could even wear it, let along walk around in it.

"M-Maybe I should've asked Pyrrha to stick around," Jaune wheezed as he struggled to lift the codpiece up to his pelvis. Finding no other workaround, he concentrated and syphoned his pure white Aura into his arms to gain the strength needed to just put on each piece of the armor. With a lot of sweat, a little blood, and plenty of Aura, Jaune finally placed the helm atop his head. He didn't even bother glancing at the axe, there was no way he was carrying that around when he was already struggling to lift his feet.

"This, this may be a problem," Jaune understated as he grunted, trying to lift even the gauntlets up to level with his shoulders. He was already low on Aura and he didn't even make it out of the room yet. Worse still, as he peered out the window, the night sky was quickly descending, meaning he was probably already at least an hour late, missing his self-proclaimed deadline.

"Great, just great. Come on! Work with me here you stupid piece of-" He yelled one last time as he poured what little Aura he had left into taking his first step as Hallow's Eve champion, only to fall face first into the floorboards. Luckily Beacon was prepared for violent happenings so the floor didn't give way, although the same could not be said for Jaune's spirit. "Ugh! This is hopeless!"

"You're telling me, whelp!" A gravelly, booming voice chastised as it echoed throughout the helmet.

Jaune eye's widened in shock, but as failed to lift himself up he could only muster a faint, "Who, who's there? I don't recognize who it is, but I'd welcome some help with this armor."

"Ha! Well you only had to ask!" Again the unknown voice boomed through his helm, enough to make Jaune think the man's lips were right next to both his ears. He thought it was an empty promise, but moments later the armor became almost as light as a feather and easily gave way to his movements.

"Ah, thank you?" Jaune wondered as he turned around to face seemingly no one in the room. "Wait, wait, wait, something's not right. There's no one here and this armor magically got lighter, wait, Pyrrha? Pyrrha is that you and your Semblance? Is this some kind of prank you and Nora are pulling on me?"

"'Tis no prank! Do you not realize who you are talking to?" The voice returned.

"No?"

"My apologies, whelp. Perhaps the proper question I should have been asking was, do you know who you are wearing?"

"Who I'm wearing-Oh no, oh no do not tell me this armor is somehow talking to me," Jaune shrieked as his mind flew into a frenzy of speculation. His eyes searched every facet of the room, hoping in vain to find the pranksters in action. "Pyrrha! Pyrrha this isn't funny anymore!"

"Stop your incessant spinning! You are making me agitated, and moreover dizzy, you ignorant dunce." The voice growled.

"Oh come on! Weiss is in on this too?"

"Enough!" In an instant the armor reverted from feather light to lead heavy and Jaune nearly whiplashed himself as the armor once again resisted his struggling. "Could these jesters you speak of do this? Or this?" To Jaune's horror, the armor began to step and move around by itself! "Or even, this?" Suddenly, the seemingly esoteric carvings and engravings of the armor flared to life as a dark smoky aura enveloped the armor like thick smog. Though he couldn't see it, an onlooker would spy the amber eyes start to move and rotate, looking around in frantic disarray while the engravings themselves pulsed with a low silver light. Clearly, an doubts Jaune had were thrown out the window then and there.

"Okay, armor, I believe it's you now," Jaune gasped out shrilly. As he looked forward he yelped at the sight of his breath materializing as dark wisps of smoke upon passing through the mouthpiece. "Yeah, I really believe now."

"Good, good," the armor replied. "Now that you are in a more agreeable state, tell me, whelp, what is thy name?"

"M-My name?"

"You heard me, whelp!" Jaune clenched his teeth in fright as the voice grew several times louder. "Tell me now the name of whose body dares to wear my own! Tell me now of the pitiful man I see before me! Tell me, before I will your body to destroy this hovel!"

"M-My name i-is, Jaune A-Arc," Jaune stuttered pathetically as he feared for his life. "P-please don't hurt me. And d-don't d-do that last th-thing either, p-please."

A moment of silence passed as the entity digested that fact. A minute passed before Jaune hopefully thought the ghost or demon had ran off until it came back, asking in a grave and dark tone, "You, are an Arc?"

Jaune was stunned. He barely had a moment to stutter a response before the voice boomed once more, "You are an Arc? You, the pitiful, scrawny man before me who speaks in stutters in a voice that could not scare a mere Beowolf babe? You?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Oh, such sorrow! Is this how far our dear line has fallen in modernity?" The voice cried out in an uncharacteristically woeful tone. Jaune was about to question it before finding his limbs locked in place and moving with the armor as one, though he still lacked all agency. The armor fell to its knees and bowed before nothing, forcing Jaune to stare into the floor in complete confusion.

"Wait, what is going on? First you're all evil and demanding and now this? And what's this about 'our' line?" Jaune asked frantically, now as irritated as he was scared.

"I will tell you what this is about, whelp," the voice replied as the armor stood up. The arms and legs moved to form a salute with its gauntlets clasped into fists and forming an X across its breastplate while the helm forced Jaune to look up into the roof at a near perfect one hundred and eighty angle. "For you see, you speak to no ordinary phantom, but the phantom of Tiberius Julian Arc, Third Son of Queen Florence and King Julian Arc, Goliath Captain of the Grimm Hunt, Champion and sworn defender of the Northern Continent and its islands."

"Tiberius Arc?" Jaune gasped in surprise. "Of the Grimm Hunt? And Queen and King Arc? So granddad's stories about us once being royalty is true. A-and that means the Grimm Hunt was once a real army too. Th-this is-"

"This is unbelievable!' Tiberius roared, snapping Jaune's thoughts in twain. "How could you be the end progeny of my siblings? The Arc line once brought forth knights and maidens worthy of the being the pride of the lands! How could it all end with you? This, this whelp of a man?"

"Hey! I'm plenty strong and courageous, just like all my ancestors!" Jaune retorted as he struggled to regain control of his limbs. "You just caught me off guard is all. It's not every day you meet a ghost."

"There is truth in those words, whelp," Tiberius conceded to Jaune's surprise. "Yet that does not save you from your faults." The armor relaxed its salute and began pacing back and forth while Tiberius continued. "An Arc's voice must instill both fear and pride in those around them. An Arc's strength is measured by his armor, weapons, combat prowess, and strategic might. An Arc's Aura must be as vast and endless as the wildest seas. An Arc's will must be ironclad, spotless, and possess only a keyhole that only his closest can unlock. What you have shown thus far is a mockery of such virtues of our lineage. What you have shown to me has proven you are naught but a stable boy, not a knight."

"Y-y-," Jaune sighed in defeat as the words cut deep into his soul. "You're right, Tiberius. I-I am weak, and I know that. I know that I'm nothing compared to my relatives, both recent and ancient. I know I don't have the qualities that define our family. A-and I'm sor-"

"Do not apologize!" Tiberius roared. "For to do so readily accept that image, that fate, is to deny your bloodline altogether!" A moment of silence passed before the Tiberius continued, notably calmer than before. "I should be the one to apologize. It is a veritable sin to so attack family, no matter how distant and no matter how, disappointed one is. Forgive this is old fool for lashing out. Just as it is jarring for you to speak to me, it is equally disturbing for me to finally be free upon Hallow's Eve for the first time since eternity to first meet an Arc that so demonstrably is not one. I lost my temper."

"It's, it's fine Tiberius," Jaune said as he grew equally calm. For the first time since they met, everything felt normal, as it could be anyways. "But, I still have so many questions. How did you know it's Hallow's Eve? How are you doing all this? And-and can I please have my body back? It's very disconcerting how I can't move anything but my head."

"Hahaha!" Tiberius guffawed. "I shall answer thusly! Every Hallow's Eve the walls between worlds grow thin and weak and this has allowed me to return to Remnant every year through my armor, my Night's Bulwark. It has been by my side since I was but your age and is infused with ancient Dusts and rituals of times long ago. So much of my Aura still lingers in its runes and leylines that I can pull myself back from the spirit world when the walls are thin enough. In fact, it is my Aura that is controlling your body right now. It took many decades for me to perfect such magic, but ever since I could, well…"

"Well, what?"

Tiberius sighed. "I realized that without a host within my Bulwark I cannot move nor talk with the physical world. And ever since I could return, no man has dared to wear my armor upon Hallow's Eve. Yet I return each year in hopes of returning to such a scenario, for then I know for one night I will be free to indulge in what I could not when I either alive or dead."

"So-so you're telling me that you're not willing to give up my body?" Jaune shrieked. "B-but-"

"Fear not, whelp," Tiberius replied. "I will be gone by tomorrow's first rays of light. But until then, I beseech you, let me live again so that I may indulge in a life I could not have."

"You know, calling me whelp over and over and that whole verbal assault from earlier, doesn't help your case."

"Then perhaps it will be informative to know that before I quelled my rage, I was about to grab Cleft Twilight and behead you with it."

Jaune audibly gulped and remembered the battle axe was still behind them. "Y-you mean-"

"But I did not."

"R-right, you didn't."

"Okay then," Jaune conceded. It was as if he could really do anything about it either. Until tomorrow, he was stuck with Tiberius whether he liked it or not. "But, don't you like the spirit world? I mean, it's gotta be better than the boring real world."

"It is nothing like the real world," Tiberius countered. "You are alone in an empty void with nothing but your inner machinations to keep you company. There is naught to do there and naught to talk to." He turned and walked towards the window, peering outwards to the watch the parade of costumed students walk towards the center of Beacon. "Death is a monotony, yet life in the Grimm Hunt was almost just as monotonous, if not tiresome."

"But you were part of every hunter and huntresses' greatest tales," Jaune argued. "You were the heroes and heroines that we all aspire to become. Your guys' feats were titanic, world saving."

"All true, yes," Tiberius agreed. "I too was swayed by such heroism when I was young. All Arcs are born with greatness in our destinies and I knew mine lay in the Grimm Hunt. I fought valiantly, saved many, and for a time it was all I could have possibly hoped for. But you have no idea how tiresome it can become. Every night we hardly slept with naught but crickets and the crackling fire to keep us company. Our creed to hunt the evils of the world forced us to walk along the fringes of civilization with no spirits, free women or men, music, or dance to entertain us. Day and night became the same at one point. And as far as I know, none of us ever lived to see old age."

"You mean you all died before you could return home?"

"Aye. I called myself old earlier as a jest, given our differences in eras. Yet, the man you hear now died at the age of thirty two on the battlefield." Tiberius sighed mournfully. "As I died I had forgotten the taste of wine and fruit, the pleasures of the flesh, and the revelry of society. I was but a weapon of the everlasting hunt. I had accepted that, but now I have no duties to uphold and while I can return to the hunt tonight, I'd rather spend it living as you do. Take my selfishness however you want, but I am tired and I wish to finally relax on my own terms."

"Well, it sounds like you certainly deserve it," Jaune conceded with guilt and sadness seeping into his heart from his ancestor's tale. "Fine, I'm all for you having a good time tonight-"

"Excellent!" Tiberius roared as he raised his arms in triumph. "For the first time since his youth, Tiberius Julian Arc will finally live a true life!"

"-but we have to set some ground rules first." Jaune argued. "First of all, how is this going to work? Will I talk and you move or-?"

"Nonsense!" Tiberius bellowed. "I wish to taste, eat, and kiss to my heart's content-!"

"K-Kiss?" Jaune stuttered in fear.

"-and to do so will require the rest of your body, whelp."

"What do you-" Jaune was caught off mid-sentence as a cold shiver rushed through his head and spine. Before he knew it, his head and mouth began moving on their own, leaving him only with his thoughts and sight.

" _What is happening?"_ Jaune shrieked internally as Tiberius got a feel of the younger Arc's head.

"I believe this is called being fully possessed," Tiberius replied with Jaune's voice before grimacing at its sound. "But this voice is simply dreadful, not befitting an Arc at all. Excuse me a moment." A minute of violent throat clearing and snorting later and Tiberius finally managed to concoct a voice that downplayed Jaune's normally squeaky voice while emphasizing a mockery of his typical deep and gravelly one. "That is, slightly better."

" _Great, now my throat's gonna be sore too tomorrow,"_ Jaune complained. Though he couldn't feel the pain, he figured it was there in spades. _"You could've done this anytime you wanted?"_

"Of course, whelp," Tiberius replied. "But I figured it would have been better to first talk on more personal terms first. Now, what are these rules you wished to discuss?"

" _Should I even bother?"_ Jaune groaned. " _If I have no control whatsoever, then what's the point of holding you back?"_

"Because I respect the blood that flows through our veins and the values of family," Tiberius replied. "Even if you are not the Arc I wished for, you are nevertheless still one. And just as I respected the wishes of my family when I was alive, so too will I respect yours. It is also why I asked before totally taking over. Besides, without your body I cannot live again, so I owe you this small favor at the very least."

" _Alright then, but promise to heed every word of the rules, alright?"_

"As a proud knight of the Arcs, I promise to uphold the following rules of conduct," Tiberius swore with his salute. Well, that's as a serious promise as Jaune could hope to get.

" _First, before we leave, I have to fill you in on all the students and teachers and such in Beacon Academy."_

"Very well."

" _Second, no violent mishaps or killing. There are no Grimm here and unless evildoers storm the place, no violence."_

"Very well, but I will be taking Cleft Twilight with me. Both as a precaution and to protect what is rightfully mine," Tiberius amended.

" _Okay, that's fine. Third, Don't go overboard with the fun, as in don't eat too much or destroy property. Remember, I still have to live a life without you in control after tonight and I don't want any repercussions from what you did tonight."_

"Of course, whelp. I shall temper my passions tonight."

" _Lastly, the reason I got your armor in the first place is because, well, it's embarrassing really, now that we talked so much about you and its history-"_

"Speak, whelp!" Tiberius urged. "We must not dally nor am I in the mood to listen to your sniveling."

" _Alright, alright, no need to be rude about it. The reason I got your armor was because I needed it to win Beacon's Hallow's Eve costume contest. There, I said it, laugh all you want Tiberius. After what you said earlier, I'm not ashamed."_

"A contest of attire?" Tiberius wondered out loud. "Why how better to win than to imitate me? Ha! 'Twas a brilliant plan in fact, whelp. With Night's Bulwark and Cleft Twilight, there is no costume contest you cannot win! I shall win such a battle as easily as I bested the Goliath herd upon the Frigid Beach."

" _Wait, that was by you and your men?"_ Jaune asked on astonishment. Hailing from Atlas himself, he was well aware of the Frigid Beach up by the north and the scars of battle that littered it. It was an inhospitable stretch of beach but historians were still puzzled by what transpired there to warrant so many large craters with no signs of battle worn corpses.

"But of course! We fought for a fortnight with the giant devils and won with nary a single arm broken. 'Twas where I earned my title as the Goliath of the Grimm Hunt, for my strength and valor trumped that of any Goliath's! And you have heard of my battles then?"

" _Hell, everyone in Atlas, er, the Northern Continent has seen the aftermath. They still don't know how you all won back then."_

"Hahaha! We were made of sturdier stuff, the Grimm Hunt. That, and the Arc blood saw me through!"

" _Right,"_ Jaune replied. _"Well, we're already late for the party, so I'll have to fill you in on the way there."_

"At last!" Tiberius gleefully cried. "Tonight shall be spoken of in future legends, whelp! Legendary I say! Tell me the directions so that I may properly indulge in Hallow's Eve!"

* * *

 **A quick two, maybe three shot for the Halloween season this year. I know it won't be finished by Halloween's end, but I'll start it tonight and finish it soon.**

 **Hope you all enjoyed reading it. Pretty sure you can guess what this story is influenced by, and I'm hoping to make it just as enjoyable as what I'm basing it on. I already have so many ideas with every single Beacon character, villains included, and I'm ready and willing to hear your guys' too.**

 **As always, please review and favorite. It always stokes the fires of creativity when you do.**


	2. The Goddess

"Something must've gone wrong, Jaune's already half an hour later," Pyrrha pointed out as the rest of Team JNPR huddled together by the punch bowl. They were currently residing in the cafeteria and already had their fill of dinner, with Nora having several extra servings of pie and syrup for dessert. However, as the clock struck six thirty, no one had seen neither hide nor tail of their fearless leader. As expected, Pyrrha was getting nervous.

"Maybe his costume is taking longer to put on than expected," Ren replied as he struggled maintain his grip on Nora's shoulders. Apparently a meter of taffy and a full dinner was not enough to force Nora into a food coma and the hyperactive huntress was jittery for more excitement. "I wouldn't worry until it hits seven. Maybe then we should check up on him."

"Candy! Candy, candy, candy, candy!" Nora barked out as she finally wriggled her body loose and ran hands first towards the Candy Hoard by the back of the cafeteria. Ren groaned in annoyance before sprinting after her, leaving Pyrrha by herself.

"Be careful you two!" She shouted as she watched the rest of her team run off. Her mind was still on Jaune however and each passing second made her heart swell with worry. Finally, she couldn't bear the anxiety any longer and pulled out her Scroll to call him. It rang for a while before entering voicemail, which only served to confirm her suspicions. Jaune would never miss a call from a teammate and his Scroll was perfectly fine this morning. That could only mean something happened and this realization brought her body forward into a stride towards their room.

She passed numerous costumed students along the way, each more spectacular than the next. There were typical Grimm costumes, occupational ones, technological ones, athletic ones, and even comic book characters. But none seemed to point to Jaune hiding underneath them so she continued forward on her quest.

"Pyrrha!" A familiar, chipper voice rang from in front of her. Before her stood Team RWBY, each girl dressed in immaculate Hallow's Eve attire. There was Ruby leading the pack dressed in the most adorable Grim Reaper attire. She had traded in her normal cloak for a tattered gray one that was way too long for her lithe frame. In her hands was a prop scythe, the old timey kind used for harvesting only, that also seemed way too long and big for her to carry around. And to top it all off was a skull mask to complete the undead getup. "Happy Hallow's Eve!"

"Oh, uh, yes. You too," Pyrrha stuttered as she stopped to exchange pleasantries with the team. Behind Ruby was her partner, Weiss, dressed in a white and navy blue ball gown. Her hair was let loose to fall as a white waterfall across her back with a powder blue rose bud tucked behind her right ear. A beautiful blue diamond encrusted in a silver necklace adorned her exposed neckline matched by sapphire and silver earrings and white diamond tiara. "Weiss, you do realize this is a Hallow's Eve party right?"

"Of course I do, Pyrrha," Weiss replied as she stepped forward. "And I am in costume. I'm dressed as Queen Esma Violet of Atlas who ruled centuries ago. And I could also ask you the same question Pyrrha. You look like a goddess ready to meet your worshippers at a temple in Mistral."

"Oh well, I-"

"Yeah you do, girl," Yang concurred as she moved in besides Weiss. "You looking smoking in that outfit, but then again you're not the only one." Her words seemingly ran true if the stares of the nearby students were any indication. Before Pyrrha stood a most scantily clad yet brutal looking Yang Xiao Long, dressed in heavy fur armor designed to leave most of her chest and back bare. Gone were her Ember Cilica gauntlets, replaced by twin prop axes strapped to her costume's belt, each engraved with faux Dust leylines.

"And who are you dressed as, Yang?" Pyrrha asked, taken aback by Yang's attire.

"I'm dressed as the warrior princess, Yena, mightiest woman in all the known galaxies!" Yang declared as she grabbed and spun her axes around for show. Upon closer inspection, Pyrrha, once distracted by the costume itself, then realized Yang had chosen to include heavy war paint in addition to her makeup to finish the costume's design.

"Oh, from that old television series, correct?"

"Yep! Childhood favorite!"

"This is, like, the tenth year in a row that Yang chose to dress up as Yena," Ruby clarified as she popped in between the two. "Ever since we first saw that show, Yang's always wanted to be like Yena."

"Hey! There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a badass and sexy warrior princess that hops around the galaxies slaying monsters and saving planets," Yang countered as she holstered her prop weapons. "Besides, it's way cooler than dressing up as a little reaper every year."

"Hey! Reapers are totally awesome all the time!"

"Can we please move along?" Blake's voice chimed in from behind her team. All turned around to face the costumed Faunus who was wearing a distinct lack of her usual favorite color. Instead, she wore a modest, yet long, white kimono decorated with a variety of colored floral patterns. Pinks, yellows, reds, and blues mixed together to create a vision of a woman so vastly different from what Pyrrha was accustomed to, she almost forgot this was indeed Blake Belladonna in front of her. Said woman was trying her best to ignore the party around her, instead focusing on reading a book in her right hand while her other held a closed, oriental folded fan, likely a prop to complete her outfit. Her black bow was still ever present however, somewhat ruining the believability of the costume as a whole, and her hair remained unchanged as well. "I'd rather get this party over with sooner than later."

"Aw, come on Blake!" Ruby chirped. "We have the entire night to forget about boring old school work and stuff, let's enjoy it while it lasts! I mean, it's Hallow's Eve! It's the best time to forget about life and just eat and have as much fun as possible!"

"But I feel exposed dressed like this," Blake responded, bored. "And I'm not a fan of parties."

"Well if the Ball couldn't rectify that, then tonight will," Yang promised as she grabbed her partner's hand, much to Blake's surprise and discomfort. "Let's go crew!"

"You guys run off and do your own thing for now," Weiss said. "I have to look for Neptune. He promised me his costume would be the perfect complement to mine. I shall join you all later."

"Whatever," Yang shrugged as their resident princess walked off into the crowd. "What about you, Pyrrha? Where you off to?"

"And where's your team?" Ruby added.

Pyrrha rubbed her wrist in embarrassment. "Ren and Nora are off by the Candy Hoard, but Jaune's running late. He said he was going to be, because he needed time to prepare his costume, but it's been hours and I am getting worried."

"Jaune's in trouble!" Ruby screeched as she readied her scythe, ready for any enemies of Team JNPR to arrive. "Time to reap the souls of his attackers!"

"Easy, Rubes," Yang cautioned, still holding on to her struggling partner's hand. "I'm sure Jaune just got sidetracked by something. No need to go overboard."

"Well, I should still check up on him," Pyrrha finished as she began walking towards the exit. "Have fun! We will catch up later!" A trio of farewells responded in kind and once again she was free to find her missing knight.

* * *

" _Alright, just cross the courtyard and head for that large building with the tables of food and drinks by its doors. That's the cafeteria-"_

"A café-what?" Tiberius asked as he gently slammed open the last door in the dormitories building to reach the open world. Besides him, other students jumped from shock at the sound and then gazed in wonder at the large, imposing knight before them, no one any the wiser that it was the goofy Jaune Arc underneath the armor.

" _Uh, a mess hall? Would that work?"_ Jaune corrected as he scanned for any familiar faces to warn Tiberius about. He gave the basic rundown of the known people around Beacon such as his team, Team RWBY, the staff, and so on. But he couldn't share mental images with Tiberius, because apparently they couldn't share a same mindscape, so he was forced to find and point out said people in order to clue Tiberius in on how to behave around them.

Tiberius's eyes lit up at the clarification, though they were obscured by the darkness inside the helm. "Excellent! 'Tis the perfect hour for a feast! A cure for my centuries of famine."

It as this same time that Jaune realized, from his analyzing of the very confused looks of the students around him, that Tiberius wasn't mentally talking to him. In fact, it seemed as though Tiberius had been shouting aloud ever since taking control of Jaune's entire body. That needed to be rectified, fast, so as to not make him seem totally crazy. _"Okay, new rule. From now on, unless we're totally alone, don't reply back to me. It'll just make us look totally insane to everyone around us. Just follow my orders if need be and we should be fine for the night."_

"Very well," Tiberius muttered as he too began to notice the strange looks people were giving him. Unfortunately, even his lowest voice seemed to be fairly loud. Now silent, he slowly made his way towards the cafeteria, Cleft Twilight sitting lazily across his right shoulder held there by his right arm, as if it were truly a real prop and instead not a real weapon.

" _Okay, good. Now, we need to find the rest of my team. If I see them, I'll point them out and you need to go talk to them, because they might be worried about me being so late. If we can't find them, then just eat and drink until-"_ Jaune stopped mid-sentence as his eyes caught the visage of his partner hurriedly walking towards them, undoubtedly on a quest to make sure he was okay. _"Okay, scratch that. That's my partner Pyrrha Nikos, the one I told you about, and-"_

"By Oum's blessings," Tiberius whispered as he watched as the crimson goddess approach him, reverent of her entire form. His eyes were glued to every movement and sway of her body, her beautiful defining colors of vibrant red and green, and the sheer gravity of her immaculate beauty. He was in stupefying awe.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha shouted as she looked around, trying to find any semblance of her partner under the night sky. "Jaune? Are you there?"

" _Alright,"_ Jaune said as he prepared for their first human encounter. _"Just go up to her and politely explain what's going-"_

"Fret not, my Goddess!" Tiberius shouted back, scaring the life out of the nearby students and shocking Pyrrha herself. He began stomping his way to her across the stone ground, each step slamming the earth like a localized earthquake. The sound of clanking metal and crunching pebbles filled the autumn air as they drew closer together. "For your partner, Jaune Arc, has finally arrived to free you from the worry that must have tormented your mind!"

If Jaune could physically face palm himself, he would've. His plans have suddenly flew out the window and into an incinerator.

"Is, is that really you, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked in both wonder and fright as she tried to take in the possible fact that this large, dark, and almost evil looking knight adorned with spikes and Grimm imagery was her lovable, goofy Jaune. It sounded a little like Jaune, but it also almost sounded possessed with its low pitch.

"Why of course it is!" Tiberius replied as he placed the axe down and brought his hands up to his waist to pose heroically, chin up towards the heavens. "Perhaps you do not recognize me, for I am dressed this Hallow's Eve as the one and only hero of legend and ancient pride of the Arc family, Tiberius Julian Arc of the Grimm Hunt, Third Son of Queen Florence and King Julian Arc of the Northern Continent, and Champion and sworn defender of said kingdom and its islands!"

Pyrrha and the rest could only gape at the boisterous introduction. Either someone was playing them all for fools right now, or Jaune Arc has somehow transcended his public image in favor of role playing as an ancient, prideful, and confident knight from their old fairytales. A few moments passed in silence before Pyrrha tilted her head in confusion and asked, "Well, you kind of sound like Jaune and you know his family name, but I still do not know if it really is you."

"Oh, but such sorrow!" Tiberius wailed as he dropped to his knees, sending a plume of dust flying around him from the impact. "My own partner, a Goddess among us mortal men and women, cannot recognize me?" He continued, almost to himself with Jaune mentally groaning in the background of his mind. "Does our bond mean so little? Are words not enough to convey the relationship that we share?"

"R-Relationship?" Pyrrha asked in shock as a faint blush lit up her cheeks. She silently cursed her silly mind for immediately thinking of **that** kind of relationship with Jaune, though she had no complaints about such an image.

"What must I do, my dearest Pyrrha?" Tiberius asked as he moved to one knee, bowing before her like a true knight before a fair maiden. It all added up to force her blush to grown even brighter and hotter than before. "How must I prove my ties to you as your loving partner and comrade in arms? Tell me, so that I may prove myself! No test is too much! None, I say! For you, my dearest Pyrrha, purest of heart and Goddess incarnate, I shall cleave the whole world in twain to prove myself! Simply say the order, and I shall triumph post-haste and prove the truth of my words!"

She was utterly flabbergasted at the man's words, utterly. Never in a million years did she ever imagine Jaune being able to say even half the things he said to her just now. But, even through the bold statements and hyperboles, she sensed honesty in them. It was as if somehow had supercharged Jaune's demeanor, turning the knob all the way to fifteen out of ten.

There was only one way to be sure.

"Can you take off your helmet and show me?" She asked.

"…"

Shockingly, Tiberius stood silent as both he and Jaune processed the request. They didn't count on that possibility. And as Jaune shouted mentally at what could go wrong while also reprimanding Tiberius for not adhering to his orders, Tiberius kept his silence.

" _I mean, couldn't you just stop and listen for two seconds? I know you've been itching to have fun, but remember the codes of conduct! We just laid them out not five minutes ago! For the love of-"_

"I can't remove the helmet," Tiberius stated with finality, shocking both Jaune and Pyrrha.

" _What do you mean you can't remove it?"_ Jaune mentally shouted and Pyrrha asked innocently.

"For you see, beauty incarnate, my crimson jewel of Hallow's Eve," Tiberius replied as every word made Pyrrha practically explode in unbridled, shy joy. "There exists a most important test of wardrobe this eve, and to properly win such a contest requires dedication to its parameters. The one with the greatest costume shall win and no doubt the judge or judges shall be watching our every move."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that my victory shall be assured so long as I wear my full costume all night and that I act just as the great Tiberius himself did in the times of old. I shall play this role incessantly, until the final judgement, and that shall ensure my reign as champion of Hallow's Eve tonight," Tiberius explained with one last heroic pose from before. "But, do not fret my dearest Pyrrha, for I can still prove that I am indeed truly Jaune Arc."

He knelt down once more and beckoned her to move closer. She did slowly, still unsure of who or what lay beyond the darkness of the helmet. Once she got in close, Tiberius moved forward ever so slightly so that their faces nearly touched, skin to metal. "Now, look into my helm and witness the face of the man who has fought besides you countless times. Watch as the truth makes itself known to you, my beloved Goddess."

As Pyrrha gazed into the black void, she squinted to make sense of any facial features behind it. But as the seconds passed, slowly the darkness receded and the unmistakable face of Jaune Arc manifested itself in front of her. Wide blue eyes, wild and short blonde hair, and large sparkling smile met her eyes and instantly she felt both relief and amazement.

Truly this was her partner and, amazingly, also not. Somehow, he had managed to transform himself into the knight he'd always wanted to become. And somehow, all it took was for Hallow's Eve to get him to come out of his normally shy and uncourageous shell, if even had one.

"Wow, Jaune," Pyrrha gasped as she stepped back. "It is really you."

"A thousand apologies," Tiberius replied as he picked up and hefted Cleft Twilight. "My lateness must have weighed heavily upon your mind, my dear. But let us not dwell on such negativity!" He motioned for her to return to the cafeteria with a mighty wave of his hand followed by him pointing his axe forward. "Instead, let us return to the revelries at hand! Let us return to our friends and comrades to dance, sing, and feast until dawn's new light!"

"Hahaha!" Pyrrha chuckled as she began to settle down and enjoy this new, rejuvenated Jaune Arc of Hallow's Eve role playing. "Yes! Let's!"

" _You and I are going to have a serious talk when we get a quiet minute,"_ Jaune ordered shrilly as Tiberius ignored him.

"After you, my Goddess," Tiberius offered with a deep bow. Pyrrha's blush returned full force once more as she almost didn't know how to handle such chivalry. Normally such mannerisms from others were mere pleasantries and pseudo-mandated societal ticks, but all of this coming from Jaune of all people, and to such a degree, it made her heart flutter like never before. In truth, she loved the typical Jaune Arc, who treated her like a human being instead of the Goddess of Victory everyone else envisions her as. But to indulge in Jaune's playing this one night and accept that role with him so openly passionate with her, it was almost too much to handle.

And she absolutely loved it.

"Thank you, sir knight," Pyrrha thanked with another giggle as she strode forward, back to the cafeteria with Tiberius automatically followed a few paces behind her.

"Out of the way all who dare cross my partner's, my Goddess's path!" Tiberius warned with such a deep roar that no one else around the two dared to interrupt or challenge his words. "Know that should any of you so much as dirty her robes or evaporate her beautiful smile with your insolence, you face the unfettered wrath of Tiberius Julian Arc, Goliath of the Grimm Hunt!"

"Jaune, please," Pyrrha said as she tried to calm her partner down, almost scolding him. "There is no need to threaten or be rude."

"Fear not, for I merely jest!" Tiberius laughed uproariously. "I shall not maim or cut, but all should know that I am serious about protecting my lady in combat, my shining garnet of Beacon. For I shall fight the entire army of this land if it would preserve your safety and jubilance this night."

For so long it was Pyrrha who had protected Jaune out in the field and in the classroom while it was he who had promised to one day protect her. Oum knows he tried again and again while out hunting Grimm and always his promises had the same nervous tone and honesty underscoring them. But to hear Jaune promise the same thing tonight, now almost oozing never before seen confidence and pride, it made her actually believe in his words for the first time.

And as she neared the doors, with the others around them staring at Jaune in awe and wonder, fear and caution, she truly felt as though he was the one protecting her tonight.

And in his own little trapped world, Jaune couldn't help but wonder at Tiberius's good first impression on Pyrrha. Perhaps, there was something to be learned through his ancient bravado.

* * *

 **Gonna take this story slow for now. Small chapters will replace the once large chapters I wanted to write. But, stay tuned for more and I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Remember to please review and favorite. Every little bit helps.**


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